Passing (2021)

Directed by

Rebecca Hall

Genre

drama film

Country

United Kingdom, United States

Runtime

1h 38m

Rated

PG-13

Rating

6.3 of 10 from 342 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

In 1920s New York City, a Black woman reconnects with a childhood friend who passes for white. Their renewed friendship stirs complicated feelings about identity, race, and belonging.

tensemelancholicslow-burnintimatesombervisually starkuncomfortable

What happens

Passing is a 2021 historical drama film written and directed by Rebecca Hall in her feature directorial debut. Adapted from the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, set in 1920s New York City, the film follows the intertwined life of a black woman (Tessa Thompson) and her white-passing childhood friend (Ruth Negga). Appearing in supporting roles are André Holland, Bill Camp, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, and Alexander Skarsgård. It was filmed in black-and-white. Passing had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, on January 30, 2021, and began a limited theatrical release on October 27, 2021, prior to streaming on Netflix on November 10. The film received acclaim from critics, who praised Hall's screenplay and direction, and the performances of Thompson and Negga. The film was named one of the top ten films of 2021 by the African American Film Critics Association. For her performance, Negga was nominated for the Golden Globe Award, the BAFTA and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress. With this acclaim, many focused on the film in the specific context of literary adaptation. Questions of narrative, character, and visibility drive the critical conversations surrounding this topic. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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